These are dark times for a lot of people who believe differently than our incoming administration [of Donald Trump], but there's also joy there, and there's also something in unifying around the things that we do believe in.

Filmmakers need to realize that their job isn't done when they lock picture. We must see our films through.

I've passed along some advice that Oprah [Winfrey] gave to me: When something bad is happening, it's not happening to you; it's happening for you.

Because my mom always told me that I could. From a very early age, I felt comfortable leading.

Hollywood needs more women directors, and Mama Ava needs a carafe and a half of that sweet vino divino.

I wish I could be the black woman Soderbergh, and put the camera on my shoulder and shoot beautifully while I directed.

It sounds kind of flighty, filmmaker-y, but I believe films are a piece of art. They are meant to be what they're meant to be, and sometimes the artist is informed by the film of what it needs to be.